Thera 3.15: Harita
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(184):Harita Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter III. three Verses =184. Hārita= Reborn in this Buddha-age at Sāvatthī in a brahmin(priest) family, he fell into the habit, from pride of birth, of calling other men low-born. Even after he had heard the Path(Dhamma), and believed and entered the Monk’s order, he persisted from the 173'cumulative force of the habit. But one day, after hearing the Lord(Buddha) preach, he reviewed his own mental procedure, and was distressed to mark the surrender to conceit and arrogance. Expelling it all, he conjured up insight and won arahantship(enlightenment). Thereafter, living in the bliss of emancipation(nirvana), he testified to ''aññā(supreme attainment) in thus addressing the bhikkhus(monks):1 ---- '''261 Yo pubbe karaṇīyāni pacchā so kātumicchati,|| Sukhā so dhaɱsate ṭhānā pacchā ca manutappati.|| || 262 Yañhi kayirā tañhi vade yaɱ na kayirā na taɱ vade,|| Akarontaɱ bhāsamānaɱ parijānanti paṇḍitā.|| || 263 Susukhaɱ vata nibbānaɱ sammāmbuddhadesitaɱ,|| Asokaɱ virajaɱ khemaɱ yattha dukkhaɱ nirujjhatī' ti.|| || ---- 261 He who is glad to-morrow to perform The things that he should yesterday have done, Forfeit of happy opportunity, He shall soon repent him fierily. 262 Let him but talk of that which should be done; Let him not talk of what should not be done! Of him who talks much but dos not, Wise men take stock, and rate him at his worth. 263 O great, O wondrous is Nibbana's bliss, Revealed by Him, the Utterly Awakened One(Lord Buddha)! There comes no grief, no passion, shelter sure, Where sorrow and ailing perish forever! ---- 1 Hārita's saying(gatha) is identical with Bākula's (CLXXII.). Cf. also the Hārita of XXIX., also a brahmin(priest) of Sāvatthī. ---- =3.15 184 Commentary on the stanza of Hāritatthera= The stanza starting with yo pubbe karaṇīyāni constitutes that of the venerable Thera Hārita. What is the origin? This one also was reborn in a family home at the time of the Blessed One Padumuttara; on having attained the age of intelligence, he made his reverential offering of perfume, when the Master passed away to parinibbāna and while His funeral pyre was being honoured with reverential offerings. On account of that act of merit, he wandered about his rounds of repeated rebirths among divine and human beings and was reborn in a brahmin family, in Sāvatthi, when this Buddha arose; having gained the name Hārita, he, on having come of age, bahaved himself with foul talk (vasalavāda) to others relying on his pride of birth (jātimāna). He went to the presence of monks, listened to their teaching of truth (dhamma), aptly gained pious faith and although he had become a monk, he did not do away with (vissajji) his behavior towards the inferior (vasalasamudācāra) because of the state long period of his familiarity with it (paricita). Then, one day, having listened to the truth (dhamma), he became remorseful placed himself in the path of developing spiritual insight, investigated (upaparikkhanto) what had happened in his own mind (attono cittapavattiṃ), found out the state of having been seduced (viggahita) by pride and distraction (uddhacca), gave the same up, intently indulged himself in the development of spiritual insight and attained Arahantship. Hence has it been said in the Apadāna:– “When heaps of funeral pyres were being made and various different kinds of perfumes were being brought together, I became pious- minded and good-hearted and made my reverential offering of a fistful (muṭṭhi) sweet scents. It was a hundred thousand aeons (kappa) ago, that I made my reverential offering to the funeral pyre; I do not remember any evil existence; this is the fruitful result of my reverential offering to the funeral pyre. My depravity had been burnt. … Buddha’s instruction had been carried out.” Having, however, become an Arahant, he revealed his Arahantship (aññā) by way of instructing the monks, with three stanzas starting with “''yo pubbe karaṇīyāni'',” in the course of his enjoying the bliss of emancipation. Their meaning has but been said before (heṭṭhā). The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Hārita is complete. ----